See notes for John Bentley, Sr., son of Richard Bentley and Lydia Mann for more information about the data below:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lksstarr/reports/yeopmtho.txt

"Clark's Property on the Roanoke River at Cashie Neck

...By the early 1700s, Thomas CLARK had many other neighbors, one of whom was William BENTLEY. In 1710 Thomas CLARK (it could have been Thomas of Yeopim or possibly a son, Thomas Jr.) acquired 225 acres on the North shore of the Morattock (Roanoke) River from Bentley, part of a larger tract that BENTLEY had previously acquired from William MOODY who had obtained it by patent in 1708. Another of Thomas CLARK'S Yeopim neighbors, William CHARLTON, also acquired several patents totaling 1,900 acres in the same vicinity on the north shore of the Roanoke River about 15 miles upstream from the River's mouth."

"Though I have been unable to find documented proof, my instinct is that Capt. John CLARK found tenants for his Yeopim River properties and built a home on the Cashie Neck/Roanoke River property. His immediate neighbors there included John and James BENTLEY, sons of the William BENTLEY who had sold the property to
Thomas CLARK in 1710, and Jacob COLSON (Coleson, Collson) [see notes for Susannah BENTLEY, daughter of William BENTLEY], an Indian trader who had three sons -- John, Jacob and Joseph who bracketed John CLARK in age. In the late 1720s, the COLSONS and BENTLEYS also acquired land along the south bank of the Roanoke River near Occoneechee Neck near where Barnabas MacKINNE Sr. and Edward CLARK Jr. had settled. There I believe they became neighbors of John CLARK Jr. (formerly of Pasquotank Precinct), who was a first cousin of both Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck and Edward CLARK Jr. of Occoneechee Neck--and the future father of General Elijah CLARK.

Nearly twenty years later, in 1743, John and Jacob COLSON and James BENTLEY would join Elijah CLARK'S father, also named John CLARK, in land speculation along the Great Pee Dee River in Anson Co. NC. The coincidence of finding James BENTLEY and the COLSON brothers as Capt. John CLARK'S neighbors along the Roanoke River as well as members of the very small group of early land speculators in 1744/45 along the Pee Dee River in Anson Co. NC signals to me that there was probably a "close family" connection between Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck on the Roanoke River and John CLARK of Anson Co. Other factors suggest that they were first cousins and probably close friends."

More About WILLIAM BENTLEY:
Christening: BERKLEY PARISH, PERQUIMANS, NORTH CAROLINA
Property: March 01, 1719/20, Patented 640 aces in Chowan Precinct, North CarolinaChildren of WILLIAM BENTLEY are:

i.

JOHN4 BENTLEY.

Notes for JOHN BENTLEY:
The following is taken from the URL:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lksstarr/reports/yeopmtho.txt

"The Mysterious Son: Capt John CLARK", by Doug Tucker

I am reasonably certain that John CLARK, oldest son of Thomas CLARK of Yeopim, survived and resided on the Roanoke River property acquired by his father from William MOODY in 1710. This property became part of Bertie Precinct in 1722 and the area in which it was located was commonly referred to as Cashie Neck (the neck of land between the Cashie River and the Roanoke River). There, his immediate neighbors included William CHARLTON, John BENTLEY, Henry SPELLER, William and Luke MIZEL, George CLARK (of Perquimans), Jacob COLSON, John SHOLAR, Phillip WARD and, later, John CLARK'S nephew Thomas FALCONER. I will have more on these neighbors later in this report. I also believe John CLARK was a "mariner", a trade that he passed on to a son and grandson."

"Clark's Property on the Roanoke River at Cashie Neck

...By the early 1700s, Thomas CLARK had many other neighbors, one of whom was William BENTLEY. In 1710 Thomas CLARK (it could have been Thomas of Yeopim or possibly a son, Thomas Jr.) acquired 225 acres on the north shore of the Morattock (Roanoke) River from BENTLEY, part of a larger tract that BENTLEY had previously acquired from William MOODY who had obtained it by patent in 1708. Another of Thomas CLARK'S Yeopim neighbors, William CHARLTON, also acquired several patents totaling 1,900 acres in the same vicinity on the north shore of the Roanoke River about 15 miles upstream from the River's mouth."

"Though I have been unable to find documented proof, my instinct is that Capt. John CLARK found tenants for his Yeopim River properties and built a home on the Cashie Neck/Roanoke River property. His immediate neighbors there included John and James BENTLEY, sons of the William BENTLEY (this William is the son of Richard BENTLEY and his first wife Jane) who had sold the property to Thomas CLARK in 1710, and Jacob COLSON (Coleson, Collson), an In dian trader who had three sons -- John, Jacob and Joseph who bracketed John CLARK in age. In the late 1720s, the COLSONsS and BENTLEYS also acquired land along the south bank of the Roanoke River near Occoneechee Neck near where Barnabas MacKINNE Sr. and Edward CLARK Jr. had settled. There I believe they became neighbors of John CLARK Jr. (formerly of Pasquotank Precinct), who was a first cousin of both Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck and Edward CLARK Jr. of Occoneechee Neck--and the future father of General Elijah CLARK.

Nearly twenty years later, in 1743, John and Jacob COLSON and James BENTLEY would join Elijah CLARK'S father, also named John CLARK, in land speculation along the Great Pee Dee River in Anson Co. NC. The coincidence of finding James BENTLEY and the COLSON brothers as Capt. John CLARK'S neighbors along the Roanoke River as well as members of the very small group of early land speculators in 1744/45 along the Pee Dee River in Anson Co., NC signals to me that there was probably a "close family" connection between Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck on the Roanoke River and John CLARK of Anson Co. Other factors suggest that they were first cousins and probably close friends. "

ii.

JAMES BENTLEY, b. Abt. 1695; m. SUSANNAH; b. Abt. 1695.

Notes for JAMES BENTLEY:
The information was obtained from the web page of Doug Tucker
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lksstarr/reports/elijah4a.txt

"...George CLARK, a glover of Perquimans Precinct, and his wife Elizabeth acquired 1,100 acres from Luke MIZELL on the north side of the Roanoke River on Rocquist Creek. This was inland, but relatively close to where Capt. John CLARK, (son of Thomas of Yeopim [river]) lived. I long thought George and John might have been distantly related, but never found a link. George died childless in February 1723/24. He left his personal effects to the sons of close friends (Taylor and Swann) back in Perquimans Precinct. His estate administrators sold much of his real property to Jacob COLSON, an Indian trader who had previously lived adjacent to Arthur KAVANAUGH (the administrator of Edward CLARK SR.'S estate back in 1713) on the Meherrin River near the Sapponie Indian village. Jacob COLSON later moved west to Occoneechee Neck. One of his sons, John COLSON, accompanied John CLARK, Elijah's father, to the Pee Dee River in 1743. John COLSON married twice. His second wife, who he married in 1753, was widow Mary Whitmell ARRINGTON whose first husband, John ARRINGTON, was Hannah ARRINGTON'S uncle. (See how tight a fraternity we have in this story -- all having close ties to Occoneechee Neck on the Roanoke River!) Another companion who went south to the Pee Dee with John CLARK and John COLSON in 1743 was James BENTLEY. James BENTLEY'S grandparents, John (this is in error. This should be Richard not John) and Jane BENTLEY, were immediate neighbors of Thomas CLARK on the Yeopim (River) and sold Thomas the Roanoke River property in Cashie Neck in 1710 -- the property where Capt. John CLARK later settled. As I suggested earlier, John CLARK Jr., of Pasquotank (Georgia Revolutionary General Elijah Clark's father) Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck and Edward CLARK Jr. of Occoneechee Neck probably were first cousins. Although it is confusing, it should come as no surprise that the prime characters in this report appear to have had relationships with all three Clark cousins. *** End ***"

"ELIJAH Clark, lived on Clark family property along Rocky Run, near the Pee Dee River in Anson Co. (North Carolina) from his marriage in 1762 until about 1771 when he moved to his father's land near Grindal Shoals on the Pacolet River. In 1773 Elijah moved his family to GA where he settled along Wahatchee Creek near a new Quaker settlement then known as New Purchase but later renamed Wrightsborough. Elijah joined the Whig Partisans (anti-Royalist colonists) and was elected commander of the local militia. His militia second-in-command was William CANDLER who was also Elijah's neighbor on Wahatchee Creek. Both became popular heros of the American Revolution."

Notes for SUSANNAH:
16 Dec 1741 Bertie County, NC Deed Book F, p. 368:
Susannah COLLSON and John COLLSON (her son) to Thomas BLOUNT and Thomas WHITMELL, 16 December 1741. 19 June 1742. 500 pds. for 600 acres "...Executors of the Last will and Testament of John COLLSON, Sen Dec'd . . . except for thirty two pounds quit rents Deducted to us paid by Thomas COLLINS . . . " Land on SS Rocquist Creek. Part of tract to Luke Meazle (MIZEL) and conveyed to Timothy TRUELOVE and by Trulove to George Clark GLOVER Dec'd. And by Jonathan TAYLOR, legatee, and James WILLIAMSON, administrators, " . . . by and to this s'd George CLARKS will conveyed by deed to John COLLSON Sen Dec'd . . . out of this COLLSON sold three hundred acres . . . " Land adj. John Stevenson, ____ Hays. Wit: Edward COLLINS, Mary COLLINS. August Court 1742. Henry DeLon C/C.

I just found mention of 100 acres of land granted to James BENTLEY on 26 Nov 1746 in Anson Co, NC. This was
the very same day that John COLSON, Jr received his land grant. James BENTLEY sold this land to Thomas
HARRINGTON on 26 Apr 1748. Land is adj. to COLLSON land. Thomas HARRINGTON sold to Samuel HOUGH on 16
July 1752 and HOUGH sold to John Gambill.

More About SUSANNAH:
Probate: August 10, 1742, Bertie County, North Carolina

6. JOHN3 BENTLEY, SR. (RICHARD2, WILLIAM1) was born Abt. 1679 in Chowan County, North Carolina, and died 1741 in Bertie County, North Carolina. He married SARAH FARLEE 1700 in North Carolina, daughter of JAMES FARLEE and RACHEL. She died 1743.

3 DEC 1695--John BENTLEY, son of Richard BENTLEY, Deceased, by and with concent of his NATURAL MOTHER, Lede Hare ..... (maiden name: Lydia MANN)
Note: Lydia MANN after the death of her husband, Richard Bentley, became the wife of John Hare

Note: Cornelius LEARY was the first husband of Mary BENTLEY, John BENTLEY's half sister (Mary Also had another FULL brother named John BENTLEY who was married to Ann BARROW)

John BENTLEY of MORATUCK RIVER, BERTIE COUNTY (originally Albemarle), NORTH CAROLINA.

The Morrattock River is now called the Roanoke River. This river ran through old Albemarle County before it was broken up. Then it ran through Bertie County and Tyrell County, North Carolina. It runs into Albemarle Sound from the southeast.

John Bentley's Will was actually found in Chowan County, North Carolina Courthouse, in Edenton, North Carolina,

March ye 15, 1738 (or 1728)
No. Carolina

I John BENTLEY of Moratock River in ye province above said being in good health and in perfect mind and memory, blessed be God and it doe constitute and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament revocking all other wills heartofore made or done by me calling to mind ye uncertainty and frailty of mankind doe give and bequeath my worldly estate in manner and form following:

Imprimus: I give and bequeath to my son William BENTLEY ye land and plantation he now lives on.

I give and bequeath to my son John BENTLEY my manner plantation and ye land belonging to it to be equaly divided between him and my son Joseph BENTLEY and my desire and will is that my loving wife Sarah BENTLEY shall have her life in ye plantation and my desire is that ye plantation and land shall not be sold to any till one or ye other refuses.

I give and bequeath my plantaion and land at Quitsna where Jon HAYS now lives to my son Jeremiah (BENTLEY).

I give and bequeath to my son James BENTLEY my plantation and land at that going in at ye fork of Rockwis (Rocquist Creek)

My will is that ye stock which is at ye plantation that I give to my son Jeremiah (BENTLEY) to be equally divided between Jeremiah (BENTLEY) and son James (BENTLEY) and they to be at age eighteen to be there own men.

I likewise give to my son Jeremiah (BENTLEY) one jar pot holding about 8 gallons.

I give to my son Jeremiah (BENTLEY) one feather bed and one long pewter dish. I likewise give to my son James (BENTLEY) one iron pot holding about four gallons and one feather bed and such furniture as their mother can contrive and one large pweter dish and each of them a mare or a horse.

I give to my son Joseph BENTLY four cows and calves out of ye stock where my son William (BENTLEY) now lives.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary BENTLY three cows and calves and a spring mare and one small pweter dish.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Lydia (BENTLEY) the mulatto boy Tom and one little Bellmotte Skillit and one small pweter dish and one cow and one calf.

I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah BENTLY three cows and calves and a young mare and one small iron pot and one small pweter dish.

I give and bequeath to my grandson John BENTLEY one young mare and her increase and a two year heifer.

And I give to my grndaughter Hanah BENTLY one two year old heifer.

I give to my son John BENTLEY two cows and calves.

I give to my loving wife Sarah BENTLY my old horse whip bridle and sadle and ye large feather bed and furniture we now lie upon and all necessarys which is in ye house for her life and two horses for ye plantation use and for ye stock which is at my dwelling plantation to run for ye benefit of bringing up of my children which are under her care.

Likewise my will is that my loving wife shall have ye benefit of ye stock that is at my son William's plantation and likewise ye benefit of ye stok which is at my now dwelling plantation during her life and after her decease to be equaly divided amongst all my children.

My will and desire is to appoint my loving wife Sarah Bentley and my son William BENTLEY to be my exectrix and executor to this my last Will and Testament as in witness I have hearunto set my hand and seal ye day and date above written.

signed John BENTLY

Testators: Will Lattimer
Moses Grooms
Elizabeth Lattimer

Edenhouse July 15, 1741
Proved then before me and Sarah BENTLY the within named Exectrix qualified according to law.

In the book by Mary-Helen Sears Fox, "THE WICKER FAMILY OF THE SOUTH" p.2, Ms. Fox says, "It has been theorized by the Reverand Tyler that THOMAS (WICKER) of Westmoreland County (Virginia) and RICHARD WICKER of Princess Anne County were brothers, both sons of THOMAS OSCAR WICKER of Devonshire (England)."

Ms. Fox further states, "CURRITUCK COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA is located in the extreme northeastern corner of the State, adjoining Princess Anne County, Virginia." The Wicker family settled in what is now Currituck County, North Carolina. Thomas Oscar Wicker's (of Currituck Co., N.C.) 2nd. great grandaughter, Martha Wicker married John BENTLEY Jr. a 2nd. great grandson of John Bentley of Moratuck River, Bertie County, North Carolina. Currituck County, North Carolina was also originally a part of Albemarle County, North Carolina.

John Bentley, son of Richard Bentley Sr. and his second wife, b. ca 1679, died in Bertie Co., N.C. in 1741. He married, probably about 1700-1701, Sarah, who seems to have been a sister of James FARLEE (Jr.) of Chowan Precinct, who in his will dated May 1, 1727 and probated May 15, 1727, mentions his wife (name not given), but leaves all his lands to James BENTLEY, son of Sarah BENTLEY (Grimes, op. cit., p.29). John BENTLEY and his eldest son, William were juriors in Bertie County, N.C. in 1723 (N.C. Colonial & State Records, Vol. 25, p.188) and John, John Jr., Joseph and James BENTLEY were all jurors there, Feb. 25, 1739-40 (same, Vol.4,pp.522-3). John (Jr.) and Jeremiah BENTLEY were witnesses to the will of Joshua WHITNEY, dated 1735 and probated in Jan. 1735/6 (Grimes, p.406), so that the son Jeremiah was of age at this time, too. John BENTLEY (Sr.) received a grant of 300 acres in Chowan Precinct on April 6, 1722 (Bertie Co. D.B."E", p.509) and on April 12, 1739 he made a deed of gift of the "within" patent to "Jeremiah BENTLEY, my son (Same reference). On Sept. 9, 1740 John BENTLEY Sr. deeded to John MANNING 225 acres in Cochie Neck of Cypress Creek, adjoining Jeremiah BENTLEY, James BEASLEY, Charles MANNING and John MANNING; and John BENTLEY Jr. and Jeremiah BENTLEY were witnesses (Bertie Co., D.B."F",p.229). The Lords Proprietors granted John BENTLEY 480 acres on the north side of the Morattock River on Aug.4, 1723, and this was apparently inherited by his son James BENTLEY, who in Nov. 17, 1741 deeded 200 acres "part of the within land" to Hugh HYMAN (D.B."F", pp.484 and 485, the grant and deed being right next to each other).

The will of John Bentley of Moratuck River dated Dec. 15, 1728 and probated July 15, 1741 (Grimes. Abstracts of N.C. Wills, p.29) leaves to the son William "the land he now lives on"; to sons John and Joseph the manor
plantation; To sons Jeremiah and James a plantation apiece; bequests to daughters Mary Bentley and Lydia; to grandson John Bentley; to grandaughter HANNAH BENTLEY (daughter of John, Jr.); to wife Sarah; appoints the wife and son William as executors. The old order books of Bertie County (unpaginated) show that the widow, Sarah Bentley, died by early 1743, for at the February court, 1742/3, permission was granted to John MANON (MANNING), administrator of Sarah Bentley decd., to sell the perishable estate. At the same court, John MANNING proved his rights, namely, for John, Sarah, Charles, and Martha MANNING for Jean Bentley, Beasley MANNING, Lucretia Bentley, Lurannah (Susannah) Bentley, and a negro woman. At the May Court, 1743, John MANON made a report on the estate of "ye widow Bentley", but no heirs are listed. At the court John Bentley proved his rights for 5 whites, and Joseph Bentley for 6 whites. The three Bentley women claimed by John MANNING when he "proved" his rights" in 1743 were probably all his daughters, married to sons of John Bentley and his wife Sarah. Jean seems to have been the wife of Jeremiah Bentley. The other two are uncertain. Another wife of one of John Bentley's son's was probably Susannah Bentley, who signed the inventory of John COLSON in Bertie County in 1736.

Issue of John Bentley (1679-1741) and his wife Sarah:

Land record of Bertie County, North Carolina, September 9, 1740

"Colonial Bertie County, North Carolina, Deed Book A-H, 1720-1757", by Mary Best Bell, page 164

Deed Book - F, page 230 Bertie County records 1740:
John BENTLEY to John MANNING
Tract of land lying in Cashi Neck beginning at a gut coming out of Cut Cypress Creek and on the north side and westward from the plantation running a gull to a maked tree in the presence of Jeremiah BENTLEY, James BEASLEY, Charles MANNING, and John MANNING and thence down the swamp to a chestnut tree etc etc

Note: John Manning was the father of Jean Manning (wife of Jeremiah Bentley), Ann Manning (wife of Joseph Bentley), and Sarah Manning (wife of John Bentley, Jr.)

Land Record Chowan Precinct, North Carolina dated June 4 172?, Patent Book 3, Page 94

Deed Book E, page 509 -- Lords Proprietors to John BENTLEY April 5, 1722. Grant 300 acres in Chowan Precinct at Roquess (Rocquist) Swamp adjacent Cullen POLLOCK, James WILLIAMSON, John SMITH. "due for the importation of six persons.." Signed Thomas POLLOCK. Recorded in Secretry's Office J. LOVICK Secretery. John BLOUNT, Rich SANDERSON, Thomas POLLOCK, June .*.*.

NOTE1: The John Smith mentioned above may very well be the father of Captain John Smith (born about 1740 NC) who came to Wilkes County, Georgia. Captain John Smith was the father of Peter Smith the first Pastor of the Upton's Creek (later the name was changed to Greenwood) Baptist Church.
NOTE2: Thomas HOOD, applied 21 Aug 1832 White Co, TN. Pension statement that he enlisted in 1777 under Capt. DOWNEY in Bedford VA; marched to Williamsburg; sub for Moses JOHNSON in Capt. Isaac Wilson'S company; associated w/Col. Evan SHELBY, Col. Charles Robertson and Capt. John Sevier; sub for Adam HALL in Capt. James MORRISON'S Co. of Col PHIFER'S Regt; under comm of Capt JOHN SMITH and Col. HOLMES at battle of Ramsour's Mills in battle of Kings Mountain; Capt. John CLEVELAND, Col. Benjamin CLEVELAND mentioned. (RW Pension file abstracted from Draper MSS. 2DD185-187) Private, Virginia Militia, $32.00 Annual Allowance $96.93 Amount Received May 29 1833 Pension Started Age 76 (1835 TN Pension Roll)
NOTE 3: Capt. John Smith, born 1738; died 1826. He was the son of Col. John Smith and Elizabeth Whitfield. he married Edith Avera.
NOTE 4: CULLEN POLLOCK SR (son of North Carolina Governor Thomas Pollock and 2nd. wife Martha CULLEN) married FRANCES WEST, daughter of (--?--) WEST, at of, Perquimans, North Carolina. He was born on 27 Sep 1697 at Perquimans, North Carolina. He died on 9 Feb 1750 at Tyrrell (County), North Carolina, at age 52. Cullen Pollock, Jr. was born after 1729.

Lord Proprietors to John BENTLEY, Grant of 300 acres in Chowan Precinct at Rocquist Swamp adjacent Cullen POLLACK, James WILLIAMSON, John SMITH, due for the importation of six persons, signed Thomas POLLACK, recorded in the Secertary's office, J. LOVICK, Secretary John BLOUNT, Richard SANDERSON, Thomas POLLACK, June ______ (Deed Book E-509)

Land Record Bertie Precinct, North Carolina dated April 4, 1723

Lord Proprietors (Dom Rex) to John BENTLEY. Grant of 480 acres "according to our great Deed of Grant bearing date the first day of May Anno Dom 1668..." For importation of persons 50 acres per person. Land on the North Side of Morrattock River adjacent John HARLOW, Martin GRIFFIN, Thomas POLLACK,. Witnesses: "William REED, President of our Councill in Secretarys Office J. LOVICK Secretary C. GALE, Richard HENDERSON, Thomas POLLOCK in Clerks office May 19, 1739, John WYNNS, Clerk" (Deed Book F-484)

Note: THOMAS POLLOCK III (Son of Governor Thomas Pollock and 2nd. wife Martha CULLEN) was born in Nov 1695 at Perquimans, North Carolina. He married ELIZABETH SANDERSON, daughter of RICHARD SANDERSON COL, between 12 Feb 1729 and 1730 at Perquimans, North Carolina. He died between 1 Jan 1732 and 1733 at Bertie, North Carolina. He also named a son Cullen Pollock b. between 1730-1731.

The following is taken from the URL:
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lksstarr/reports/yeopmtho.txt

"The Mysterious Son: Capt John CLARK", by Doug Tucker

I am reasonably certain that John CLARK, oldest son of Thomas CLARK of Yeopim, survived and resided on the Roanoke River property acquired by his father from William MOODY in 1710. This property became part of Bertie Precinct in 1722 and the area in which it was located was commonly referred to as Cashie Neck (the neck of land between the Cashie River and the Roanoke River). There, his immediate neighbors included William CHARLTON, John BENTLEY, Henry SPELLER, William and Luke MIZEL, George CLARK (of Perquimans), Jacob COLSON, John SHOLAR, Phillip WARD and, later, John CLARK'S nephew Thomas FALCONER. I will have more on these neighbors later in this report. I also believe John CLARK was a "mariner", a trade that he passed on to a son and grandson."

"Clark's Property on the Roanoke River at Cashie Neck

...By the early 1700s, Thomas CLARK had many other neighbors, one of whom was William BENTLEY. In 1710 Thomas CLARK (it could have been Thomas of Yeopim or possibly a son, Thomas Jr.) acquired 225 acres on the north shore of the Morattock (Roanoke) River from BENTLEY, part of a larger tract that BENTLEY had previously acquired from William MOODY who had obtained it by patent in 1708. Another of Thomas CLARK'S Yeopim neighbors, William CHARLTON, also acquired several patents totaling 1,900 acres in the same vicinity on the north shore of the Roanoke River about 15 miles upstream from the River's mouth."

"Though I have been unable to find documented proof, my instinct is that Capt. John CLARK found tenants for his Yeopim River properties and built a home on the Cashie Neck/Roanoke River property. His immediate neighbors there included John and James BENTLEY, sons of the William BENTLEY (this William is the son of Richard BENTLEY and his first wife Jane) who had sold the property to Thomas CLARK in 1710, and Jacob COLSON (Coleson, Collson), an Indian trader who had three sons -- John, Jacob and Joseph who bracketed John CLARK in age. In the late 1720s, the COLSONS and BENTLEYS also acquired land along the south bank of the Roanoke River near Occoneechee Neck near where Barnabas MacKINNE Sr. and Edward CLARK Jr. had settled. There I believe they became neighbors of John CLARK Jr. (formerly of Pasquotank Precinct), who was a first cousin of both Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck and Edward CLARK Jr. of Occoneechee Neck--and the future father of General Elijah CLARK.

Nearly twenty years later, in 1743, John and Jacob COLSON and James BENTLEY would join Elijah CLARK'S father, also named John CLARK, in land speculation along the Great Pee Dee River in Anson Co. NC. The coincidence of finding James BENTLEY and the COLSON brothers as Capt. John CLARK'S neighbors along the Roanoke River as well as members of the very small group of early land speculators in 1744/45 along the Pee Dee River in Anson Co., NC signals to me that there was probably a "close family" connection between Capt. John CLARK of Cashie Neck on the Roanoke River and John CLARK of Anson Co. Other factors suggest that they were first cousins and probably close friends. "

Following the creation of the counties:

1. Chowan County was formed in 1670 from the Chowan Precinct in Albemarle County of the Carolina Colony. It
included all of the land west of the Chowan River as well as the northern half of the peninsula south of the Albemarle Sound and north of the Pamlico Sound. This territory is now the counties of Gates, Hertford, HALIFAX, Northampton, TYRRELL, Washington and BERTIE.

2. Bertie County was formed in 1722 from Chowan Precinct and the southwest part of Bertie became Edgecombe
Precinct.

3. Edgecombe County was formed in 1741 from the Edgecombe Precinct of Bertie County.

4. Halifax County was formed in 1758 from Edgecombe. (Thomas Valentine 07-21-02)

#182
Read the Petn. Of the Inhabitants about Cashy for a Road Leading & c..
Grantd. & ordered that
John Bently Senr..
Jas Legatt
Josias Griffin
Hugh Grimes
Jno. Smithwick
John Legatt
John Jordan
John Collson
John Bently
Luke Meizel
Jnon. Riden
Edward Collins
Junr. Jos. ? Bently
Hugh Highmeen
(Hyman)
John Watson?
Do Lay Out & c John Legatt overseer. All the inhabitants In Sehikey Neck
below Possem Hill Creek & Roues Bridge Do work thereon & are Exempt from
working on the other Cashy Raod..

4. JEREMIAH BENTLEY, apparently the 4th son of JOHN BENTLEY Sr., was born approximately 1710-14, as it has been mentioned he witnessed the will of Joshua WHITNEY in 1735. As also mentioned, he was deeded land in 1739 by his father. On May 10, 1742 he and his wife Jean deeded the land to Robert HUNTER of Chowan Co. (Bertie Co. D.Bk "F", p. 372). After this he perhaps moved away. His wife was apparently the JEAN BENTLEY claimed as a "right" by JOHN MANNING in 1743 and probably one of Manning's three daughters who married Bentleys.

Grimes "Abstracts of North Carolina Wills," which reads:
"Joshua WHITNEY-no county listed. 26 December, 1735, received 21 January, 1735. Wife Martha Sons David, Jeremiah, Samuel, Joseph and Francis. Daughters Kering and Ruth.
Note: This abstract shows that "Ketring" was a sloop that the sons would inherit, not the daughter.
Executors, sons David and Jeremiah
Witnesses, John and Jeremiah BENTLEY, and James BLAIR.

Wills of Isle of Wight, Va. 1647-1800

Joshua Whitney: leg. wife Mathon: son David; son Jeremiah; son Samuel; daughter Kolzing; son Joseph; daughter Ruth; son Francis; daughter Ketring. Exs., sons, David and Jeremiah Whitney. died December 26, 1735.
Recorded April 26, 1736.
Wit: John Bentley, Jeremiah Bently, James Blair. (will also proven in North Carolina)
page 104.